PoloDriver

The Polo Vivo maintained its long-standing reign at the top of the South African new passenger car sales market last month. The best-selling car in the country for April, the Polo Vivo sold 2762 units, followed, once again, by the fifth-generation Polo, of which 2160 found homes last month. The performance by the popular models contributed to the strengthening of Volkswagen Group South Africa’s leadership position in the country’s car market last month with sales of 8463 units and a market share of 24.6 per cent.

The Polo Vivo was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market, replacing the Series 1 Golf-based CitiGolf, and is available as a three or five-door hatchback and four-door booted saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines. Costing from R111,900 for the base-model 1.4 hatchback to R161,100 for the top 1.6 Polo Maxx, the 2013 Polo Vivo is based on the revised version of the Series 4 Polo (9N3), built from 2005 to 2009. The fifth-generation Polo (6R) is available as both a three and five-door hatchback, in addition to the four-door Polo Sedan.

Over the weekend of 4-5 May, Mark Silverwood took the spoils at round four of the Engen Volkswagen Cup at Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria. Recent work carried out to the circuit’s surface meant that handling characteristics of the Polo Vivo race cars were altered, but it didn’t stop Silverwood taking Bryan Morgan’s pole position from him in the first corner of race one. Morgan fought back however, but had to succumb to Silverwood’s repeated attacks on his leading position. Dewald Brummer claimed third place, after a tense championship battle with Kosie Weyers. The first part of race two was a re-run of race one, with Silverwood scalping Morgan, but Weyers also pushed past the leader, sending Morgan down to third.

The 2013 Engen Volkswagen Cup series is similar to the other racing Volkswagen Polo Cup single-series championships run in China, Europe and India. Just as in those official Volkswagen series, the South African one-make format highlights new driving talent. In the Engen series, as many as 35 drivers regularly race in technically identical, 2.0-litre 234bhp Volkswagen Polo Vivo racing cars. For 2013, the Engen Volkswagen Cup cars are powered by the new Engen Primax fuel. The field will head to the Grand Prix Circuit, East London for round five of the 2013 championship on 15 June.

RACE RESULTS
Race 1
1 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions)
2 Bryan Morgan (41: Great Accounts/Great Soft)
3 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne Hydraulics/MAD Racing)

Race 2
1 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions)
2 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
3 Bryan Morgan (41: Great Accounts/Great Soft)


Overall standings
1 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions)
2 Bryan Morgan (41: Great Accounts/Great Soft)
3 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)

Masters
1 Ettiene du Toit (M4: Zenith Product Design)
2 Juan Gerber (M8: Carfind.co.za)
3 Eddie Rodrigues (M7: SEW Eurodrive)

Volkswagen Motorsport has been in celebratory mood once more, after another successful round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship. Rally Argentina saw the Hanover-based outfit take two podium places, extending its lead in the drivers’ championship, and retaining its top spot in the manufacturers’ standings. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia took second place behind record-breaking world champion and Citroën driver Sébastien Loeb, claiming their fifth podium place in this season’s WRC after their fifth outing with the Polo R WRC. After starting the final day in Argentina in fourth position, Jari-Matti Latvala/and co-driver Miikka Anttila fought their way into third place and their second podium finish of 2013.

With their double victory in the final Power Stage, the two Volkswagen drivers also secured five extra points in the drivers’ competition. One third into the season, Ogier and Ingrassia are now 54 points clear at the top of the drivers’ leader board, while Volkswagen is now 14 points ahead of Citroën in the manufacturers’ championship. Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula in the third Polo R WRC finished Rally Argentina in eighth place under Rally 2 regulations, achieving impressive top times in their second event with the car.

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Today, as rumoured last week, Volkswagen India launched the most powerful Polo yet in the country, the GT TSI. Combining the 1.2-litre 77Kw (104bhp) TSI engine widely available in Europe with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, the Polo GT TSI offers ‘maximum power and minimum consumption’, and is priced at Rs 7.99 lakhs ex-showroom, Delhi. Mechanically the same as the UK’s Polo SEL with the same engine, the Polo GT TSI develops 175Nm (129lb ft) of torque between 1500-4100rpm.

Although looking little different to the standard car on which it’s based, the Polo GT TSI’s visual nuances are there if you look hard enough. ‘Estrada’ 15-inch alloy wheels with 185/60 R15 tyres, black headlamps, a chrome ‘GT’ grille badge, and ‘GT TSI’ kickplates hint at the car’s sporty nature. Inside, there’s ‘Milan’ upholstery, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, aluminium pedals, ‘Climatronic’ automatic air-conditioning, and RCD 320 music system with USB/SD/Bluetooth/Aux-in and four speakers. Exterior colours are limited to three: Candy White, Flash Red, and Deep Black.

Volkswagen India has launched a special edition version of its Polo saloon-based model, the Vento, called the Vento Style. Available with the existing car’s 1.6-litre 104bhp petrol and diesel engines, and in Trendline and Comfortline trims, the Vento Style comes with alloy wheels, floor mats, leather seat covers, and exterior chrome trim and door sills. New paint colours include Pepper Grey. The Vento Style is priced at Rs 8.33 lakh for the petrol version and Rs 9.41 lakh for the diesel variant (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). In other news, Volkswagen India is expected to launch a sports version of the current 6R Polo this week. Powered by an existing 104bhp 1.2-litre TSI engine, the new car is expected to be called the Polo GT.